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Princess Gwenevere
Princess Gwenevere is the titular main character in Princess Gwenevere and the Jewel Riders, also known as Starla in the show's international version Starla & the Jewel Riders (this wiki uses "Gwenevere"). She was voiced by Kerry Butler for the show's first season and by Jean Louisa Kelly for the second one. Gwenevere/Starla-centered episodes include "Jewel Quest, Part II", "Travel Trees Can't Dance", "Wizard's Peak", "Dreamfields", "Fashion Fever", "Prince of the Forest", "The Wishing Jewel", and "Lady of the Lake / Spirit of Avalon". Her later inspired the character of Kara in Avalon: Web of Magic. Princess Gwenevere (or Starla, depending on the version), the beautiful daughter of Queen Anya and King Jared, the kingdom of Avalon's royal family, is the newest Jewel Rider. She becomes the current leader of the group after she receives the sacred Enchanted Jewel called the Sun Stone for her magic and gets perfectly paired with the wondrous winged unicorn named Sunstar. Gwen is gorgeous, intelligent, graceful and poised, and always looking for romance and adventure. She has many suitors, but clearly favours Drake and Ian, who both pledge their lives to her. Initially she is is romantically attracted to Drake, the leader of the Knights of Avalon (the Pack) but finds his brashness annoying. Later, she also falls in love with the mysterious Ian. As the series begins, Gwenevere is to next in line become the Queen of Avalon when she comes of age, but a disaster strikes and Gwen must lead her best friends Fallon and Tamara in the fight against evil on a heroic Jewel Quest to defend her kingdom from the forces of darkness and from unstable wild magic. Gwenevere has a great task before her, as she and Sunstar are to be true champions of Avalon, as is befitting a future Queen. To fulfill her destiny, she needs to come to become the savior of her teacher Merlin and the entire Avalon from her wicked aunt, Lady Kale. Meanwhile, Fallon and Tamara contribute enormously to Gwen's growth as a young woman, and future leader of the kingdom after Kale and Morgana are finally defeated. "Let goodness and love forever triumph over the forces of darkness!" In the show and facing her mother's evil sister Kale]] Background Gwenevere, or "Gwen" to her friends, is the bold and graceful Princess of the kingdom of Avalon. Gwenevere is a true heroine, ready to face the challenges that await her as she rides the wings of her destiny to vanquish evil and secure her rightful place as future Queen of this magical kingdom. She is put into leadership position at a young age, forcing her to grow up faster and learn to take responsibility as a benevolent leader. Soon, Gwen gets bonded with a rare and stunning golden winged unicorn, whom she names Sunstar. "|left]] and Gwen with the Sun Stone and in "Dreamfields"]] When the series begins, the sixteen-year-old Princess Gwenevere is only about to become a Jewel Rider of the sacred Sun Stone and the heir to the throne must be worthy of being one. But since Queen Anya's hateful sister Lady Kale disrupted peace in the kingdom, the pressure on the Queen to test her daughter was very great and the pressure on Gwen was even worse. Her fellow Jewel Riders make a pledge to their mentor Merlin to aid and protect the inexperienced young Princess in their quest to deliver Avalon from evil, as only she can restore peace to Avalon and secure the good magic for the future generations. And thus Gwenevere must now ride Sunstar and lead her friends Fallon and Tamara to bring back Merlin, and to once and for all get rid her kingdom of the dark powers of Kale and (later on during the second season) the witch-queen Morgana. in "Prince of the Forest"]] As the princess of the kingdom, Gwenevere has had the finest schooling, the finest training, and has been risen with the finesse and refinement that the royal family would convey upon their children. Gwen carries herself with poise, sophistication, and the worldly ways of a cosmopolitan "city-girl"—this attitude sometimes puts her at odds with Tamara's simpler "country-girl" way of looking at things. The only thing that Gwenevere is afraid of is not doing something well. Sunstar will have to help the Princess make the right decisions and do the right things. Gwen failure.png|Queen Anya comforts Gwen when she was first rejected by the Sun Stone in "Jewel Quest, Part II" Gwen 7.png |Gwen with her friends after the successful the Friendship Ring ceremony in "Jewel Quest, Part II" Gwen 8.png|Gwenevere rallies her friends to end the rule of the evil "Queen Kale" in "Full Circle" Physical attributes *Age: 16 *Height: 5' 6" (167 cm) *Hair: Blonde, worn long (usually with a ponytail, sometimes with a fashionable braid) *Eyes: Piercing blue Gwenevere looks much like her mother, Queeen Anya. And just like Anya, Gwen is exceptionally good-looking (so much that even Kale tells her "you get more beautiful every time I see you"). "Lovely one! Your radiance outshines the sun. Princess fair!" (Drake) Personality Gwenevere's inheritance from her famous namesake includes courage, strong will, and a certain impulsiveness and coquettish attitude. Her loving royal parents, Queen Anya and King Jared, have always had a difficult time controlling the headstrong girl and her fiery temper, and lead her to realize her potential and her destiny to become the future Queen of Avalon. Although Gwen can be snobby and pretentious, sometimes taking the attitude of a pampered brat who loves being the center of attention and is obsessed with fashion and shopping, Sunstar always helps the girl develop her inner beauty—Gwen will learn to mature in her thinking, her ways, and her outlook. "]] "]] Although Gwen always gives the appearance of absolute confidence, deep down she is insecure about living up to her mother's accomplishments.. She has two solid friends and allies in Fallon and Tamara, friendships based on mutual respect. Gwen is especially close to Tamara. Although she sometimes finds herself jealous of Tamara's musical abilities, and Fallon's physical prowess, the Princess is proud of her friends and knows that when the three girls work together, the strength of their powers can only be increased. Gwen is overall an excellent leader to use her and her friends' skills and abilities to the fullest. Being the Princess of the kingdom, Gwenevere is constantly aware of being in the public eye and is very concerned about her appearance and looks. Having been raised a very proper young lady, Gwen's manners and grooming are impeccable, yet she has little patience with mundane activities and cannot help but let loose occasionally with a streak of playfulness that comes as a complete surprise to her friends. She can get wrapped into her own concern at times, but in the end the team always comes first. Abilities "|left]] Gwenevere is more feminine than Fallon yet too well versed in various schools of martial arts. She has been also tutored by her mother Queen Anya in ancient runes and languages. When she puts her mind to it Gwen can be an excellent student, although she is more interested in sharpening the social skills and responsibilities that go along with the role of being a Princess of Avalon. in "Revenge of the Dark Stone"|250x250px]] She soon bonds with a magnificent golden winged unicorn Sunstar. They wear the Sun Stone, a golden special Enchanted Jewel handed down from Queen Anya. Gwen flies Sunstar with a commanding sense of style and grace but both know they must live up to the expectations placed upon them and the pressures of being the best. in "Song of the Rainbow"]] Even though Gwen is the newest Jewel Rider, she immediately takes charge of the group when Merlin goes missing. Her training as the crown princess gives her enough leadership skills to make up for the experience she lacks as a Jewel Rider. Tamara and Fallon follow her every command not only because she is the princess, but also because she is their friend. Gwen loves to look good. Representing the new generation from the Crystal Palace, Gwen is quite at home in diplomatic affairs, especially royal parties. Hobnobbing and chit-chatting with the Lords and Ladies of the land comes very naturally to her and her innate intelligence, irresistible charm, and amazing beauty often puts her at the center of any crowd. File:Gwenevere dress.png|Gwenevere in her Sun Stone themed gown in "Love Struck" File:Gwen 12.png|Gwen smash-kicks through a door in "The Wishing Jewel" File:Princess.png|Princess Gwenevere in a party dress "Dreamfields" Jewel power "]] It was the proudest day in Gwenevere's life when she received the Sun Stone. Sharing that special moment with Sunstar made it even more wonderful. Their bonding is a rare blend of champions that all of Avalon look to with hopeful hearts, for the Sun Stone harbors the power to shine its lights and make things grow strong, healthy and beautiful. But then, without Merlin to teach her how to use the magical Sun Stone, Gwenevere is forced to rely on the support of Sunstar and her friends. are used together in "The One Jewel"|thumb|220x220px|left]] The Sun Stone is difficult to master but the headstrong girl will never give up and is very determined to learn. When all else fails, Gwen's explosive bursts of temper always forces the jewel to work on some level. In "Dreamfields", Gwenevere briefly wields and is nearly corrupted by the evil of Lady Kale's Dark Stone, but her friends come to save her just in time to resist the attraction of the dark side. Eventually, Gwen is given the Staff of Avalon by the Lady of the Lake and uses it to defeat Kale and save Fallon and Tamara in "Spirit of Avalon", and later manages to overcome and destroy the seized Dark Stone to help Merlin win against Morgana and the returning ancient wizards in "The One Jewel". Sun Stones.png|Gwenevere and Sunstar with their Sun Stones in "Full Circle" thorntree.png|Sun power hits Kale's monster in "Travel Trees Can't Dance" Sun Stone pair-0.png|Gwen and Sunstar with their Sun Stones in "Dreamfields" File:Gwen Sunstone.png |Gwenevere in her Level I Jewel Armor in "Wizard's Peak" Sun Stone wind.png|Gwenevere in her Level II Jewel Armor in "Trouble in Elf Town" File:Gwen_Staff.png|Gwenevere with the Staff of Avalon in "Lady of the Lake" Romance Drake in "Dreamfields"|250x250px]] As for affairs of the heart, with so many starry-eyed young men competing for her attention, Gwen seems to be especially interested in flirting with Sir Drake, the leader of the Pack. The young knight's striking looks and dashing charisma are not lost on her, as she could have her pick of any boy in the kingdom yet likes Drake the best and is jealous whenever she finds him attempting to woo Tamara. They are destined for romance and everyone in Avalon can see they would make a great couple, but Gwen likes to play coy and teases him constantly, and waits for him "to prove himself to be the partner of a Princess"—"When I become Queen, I will need a King by my side, someone strong yet gentle, kind, and loving."Dreamfields (script) Others in "Dreamfields"|left]] in "Prince of the Forest"]] "]] Gwen's other favorites include one Lord Batton, with whom she goes on a date but who turns out to be very boring and most of all interested in himself (and also in Dennon apparently). Later, Gwen falls in love with the handsome and strong werewolf Ian of Arden, who becomes her another sworn protector, and they quickly become intimate after they save each other. It is even Ian who in the end helps her in finally ridding Avalon of Kale forever, and Gwen revives him with a magic kiss after he is briefly killed by Morgana in "The Last Dance". (Nevertheless, the Lady of the Lake's prophecy in "Spirit of Avalon" seems to clearly show the future Queen Gwenevere being together with Drake, and not Ian.) File:Gwen Drake 1.png |With Drake in "Wizard's Peak" Gwen Drake 5.png |With Drake in "Love Struck" Ian 1.png |With Ian in "Prince of the Forest" Gwen Ian.png |With Ian in "The One Jewel" Fashion and style As a Jewel Rider, Princess Gwenevere wears a unique winged helmet signifying her bonding with Sunstar, the winged unicorn. Her Jewel Armor's helmet, crystal gauntlets and breastplate, are used for protection when using the power of her Enchanted Jewel and for riding the wild magic. For parties, craft fairs, and ceremonial balls, she is very conscious of her appearance as her company is frequently sought by young lords and handsome knights from around the kingdom. Gwen has a dazzling wardrobe with many fancy dresses and special outfits for every occasion. She also happens to have excellent taste and prefers materials from the finest silk and leather. All of her costumes are excellently tailored and often accented expensive jewelry. * Favorite colors: Golds and pinks, offset by blues and violets. * Favorite foods: Ice pies, chocolate shakes. * Pet peeves: Tamara's babies can be pesky troublemakers. Gwenevere has an especially tricky time with Cleo, the spoiled baby unicorn, who follows her and Amber around, hanging on their every word. Gwen has a big aversion to dirt and hates to get herself dirty. Gwenevere Armor .png|Gwen in her upgraded Jewel Armor in the second season Gwen 11.png |Gwenevere dancing with the Fox in "Travel Trees Can't Dance" Gwen 13.png |Gwenevere face to face with the Guardian in "Wizard's Peak" Gwenevere Dark Stone.png |Gwenevere wielding the Dark Stone in "Dreamfields" Gwen 9.png |Gwenevere bewitched by Kale in "Fashion Fever" Gwen Sunstar forest.png |Gwen with Sunstar in "Prince of the Forest" Gwen Sunstar ship.png |Gwen with Sunstar on their ship in "The Jewel of the Sea" Gwen 4.png |The "Fortune Jewel" vision of Gwen as Morgana's slave Gwen 5.png |Mermaid Gwen and Sunstar with human Ian in "The One Jewel" File:Gwen talk.png File:Gwen turn.png File:Gwen action.png Gwen fashion 4.png Clip_15.png Gwen fashion 6.png Gwen fashion 3.png Gwen fashion 1.png Gwen fashion 2.png Behind the scenes Portrayal Princess Gwenevere has been voiced by Kerry Butler for the show's first season, but Butler was then replaced by Jean Louisa Kelly for the second one due to her conflicting Broadway schedule. She was also voiced by Barbara Tissier in French, Anna Maria Tulli in Italian, Fernanda Figueiredo in Portuguese, Carmen Cervantes in Spanish, and Pernilla Wahlgren in Swedish. Kerry Buttler.jpg |Kerry Butler (2011) Pernilla Wahlgren.jpg |Pernilla Wahlgren (2013) Development Gwenevere had been originally named Guinevere (but still shortened to Gwen), obviously inspired by the Arthurian Guinevere. According to art director Art director Greg Autore, her international name Starla was made simple and less specific as to translate better (avoiding too many ways to translate). She was also referred to as the "Princess of Camelot" in some early versions of the show, where she would also use different colors than mainly pink. Gwen was also supposed to have a little sister named Tara, originally planned for the first season and later for the third one (apparently set few years alter). Gwen's character is in many ways similar to that of She-Ra from the Masters of the Universe franchise.Princess of Power | The Jewel Riders Archive Originally, Gwen's Sun Stone was to use different colors of the rainbow to access its various different powers.The Enchanted Jewel Riders Show Bible Greg Autore said: "As the main character, she needed to be in pink. Girls OVERWHELMINGLY prefer pink. But I chose her skin tones and hair color to be as golden as I could, as if she was infused with the Sun Stone's power."Greg Autore and the Toy Design of Jewel Riders - Part Two | The Jewel Riders Archive Her hair was intended to look as if "gold was flowing out of her", contrasting with her tanned skin color, and overall she was to project leadership and power.The Jewel Riders Archive Podcast Among the third season ideas, she was considered to be clad in plates of crystal armor in her ultimate Sun Stone jewel power form. In addition, "Gwen had shoulder pieces that would slide down for more armored protection and give her some super strength for a situation to be determined. It was planned that her jewel could be pulled out of her hand so it could fly ahead of her and pull her up to climb up somewhere."Greg Autore and the Toy Design of Jewel Riders - Part Four | The Jewel Riders Archive Gwen design 2.png Gwen concept 3.png Gwen design 1.png Legacy In Avalon: Web of Magic, Gwenevere inspired the character of Kara Davies, a modern mayor's daughter who turns out to be a descendant of the Fairy Queen Lucinda - who was the twin sister of the series' antagonist Dark Sorceress, similar to the Anya-Kale-Gwen family relations. Gwen and Kara also share many of their characteristics, much of their role in the plot, and even look similar to each other. See also * List of characters * Royal family References Who was your favourite actress? Kerry Butler Jean Louisa Kelly Who would you prefer for Gwen to marry? Drake Ian (turned human) Actually someone else Category:Jewel Riders Category:Humans Category:Heroes Category:Female characters Category:Main characters Category:Royal family